Ana Santiago

Education choices in Mexico: using a structural model and a randomized experiment to evaluate Progresa

In this paper we evaluate the effect of a large welfare program in rural Mexico. For such a purpose we use an evaluation sample that includes a number of villages where the program was not implemented for evaluation purposes. We estimate a structural model of education choices and argue that without such a framework it is impossible to evaluate the effect of the program and, especially, possible changes to its structure. We also argue that the randomized component of the data allows us to identify a more flexible model that is better suited to evaluate the program. We find that the program has a positive effect on the enrollment of children, especially after primary school. We also find that an approximately revenue neutral change in the program that would increase the grant for secondary school children while eliminating for the primary school children would have a substantially larger effect on enrollment of the latter, while having minor effects on the former. ∗This paper has benefitted from valuable comments from Gary Becker, Esther Duflo, Jim Heckman, Hide Ichimura, Paul Schultz, Miguel Székely, Petra Todd and many seminar audiences. Responsibility for any errors is ours. †UCL, IFS and NBER. ‡UCl and IFS §UCL and Sedesol

Technology and Child Development: Evidence from the One Laptop Per Child Program

Although many countries are aggressively implementing the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) program, there is a lack of empirical evidence on its effects. This paper presents the impact of the first large-scale randomized evaluation of the OLPC program, using data collected after 15 months of implementation in 319 primary schools in rural Peru. The results indicate that the program increased the ratio of computers per student from 0. 12 to 1. 18 in treatment schools. This expansion in access translated into substantial increases in use both at school and at home. No evidence is found of effects on enrollment and test scores in Math and Language. Some positive effects are found, however, in general cognitive skills as measured by Raven’s Progressive Matrices, a verbal fluency test and a Coding test.

More Than Words: Expressed and Revealed Preferences of Top College Graduates Entering Teaching in Argentina

School systems are trying to attract top college graduates into teaching, but we know little about what dissuades this group from entering the profession. We provided college graduates who applied to a selective alternative pathway into teaching in Argentina with information on what their working conditions and pay would be if they were admitted into the program. Then we observed whether they reported that they wanted to go into teaching and whether they did so. We found that individuals who received information about working conditions or pay were more likely to report that they no longer wanted to pursue their application to the alternative pathway but no more likely to drop out of the program’s selection process. This could be due to prominence effects. Students with higher GPAs were more likely to drop out if they received information on working conditions but not if they received information on pay.